Device for contracting the discharge ends of baling-press.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

T. E, & S. R. SIKES. DEVICE FOR CONTRACTING THE DISCHARGE ENDS 0FBALING' PRESSBS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19.1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L WITNESSES:

No. 792,935. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. T. E. & S. R. SIKES.

DEVICE FOR CONTRACTING THE DISCHARGE ENDS OP BALING PRESSES.

APPLIGATION FILED SBPT.19.1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

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UNITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS EUGENE SIKES AND SIMEON R. SIKES, OF HELENA, GEORGIA.

DEVICE FOR CONTRACTING THE DISCHARGE ENDS OF BALlNG-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 792,935, dated June 20,1905.

Application filed September 19, 1903. Serial No. 173.835.

To all whom, it 772 007 concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS EUGENE SIxEs and SIMnoN R. SIKES, citizensof the United States, residing at Helena, in the county of Telfair andState of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Contracting the Discharge Ends of Baling- Presses; and we dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to baling-presses, and more particularly to meansfor contracting the discharge end of the baling-press chamber, wherebythe bales may be formed of a predetermined uniform density; and theinvention has for its object to provide simple leverage means which maybe readily applied to presses of ordinary construction for contractingthe discharge end of the baling-chamber, so as to obtain the uniformdensity of the bale determined upon; also, to provide a construction inwhich the density of the bale will be automaticall y regulated undervariation in the conditions of the material being baled and in themanner of feeding the press with the material.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, the invention consists in the construction and inthe combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and thensought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying d rawings, in which- Figure 1 represents so much of ahay-baling press as is necessary 'to illustrate the application of theinvention, the contracting device being shown as applied thereto. Fig. 2is a longitudinal section through Fig. 1, showing the lever depressed.Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the baling-chamber,showing a modified form of the invention with the lever in its normalposition. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the lever in its depressedposition. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of another modification,andFigs. 7 and 8 are like views of another modification.

less, the discharge end of the baling-chamber greater or less pressureis exerted on-the bale, so as to determine or regulate the density ofthe bale. Our purpose is to provide simple leverage means by which thedischarge end of the baling-chamber may be contracted more or less andwhich can be readily applied to baling-presses already in use withoutnecessitating a special construction of baling-chamber for the purpose,and, further, to provide means by which a uniform pressure will beautomatically controlled under varying conditions of the material beingbaled and upon variations that may exist in the manner of feeding thematerial, so that under such variations the density of the bale will beuniform. For that purpose we provide a crossbeam F, provided at oppositeends with means for attaching it to the discharge end of thebaling-chamber, said means preferably being straps or rods G, attachedat one end to the cross-beam F and at the other end to a portion of the"bottom of the bailing-chamber, the drawings for purposes ofillustration showing two rods at each end of the crossbeam F, which attheir upper ends pass through the cross-beam and are held thereto bynuts H,- and each pair of rods connected together at their lower ends bybolts J, which bear against the under side of the projecting ends of oneof the cross-beams E, which extend across the bottom of thebaling-chamber, and the projecting ends of one of the cross-beams D tothe top of the baling-chamber are represented. as fitting freely betweenthe rods G at each end of the cross-beam F of the attachment. While thisis a simple and eificient means for connecting the attachment to thebaling-chamber, yet we are not restricted 1n our invention to suchparticular means for securing the attachment to the baling-chamber. Tothe cross-beam F, preferably to its under side, is pivotally connectedthe short arm of a bent or elbow lever K, for instance, by means of apivot-pin L, passed through the end of the short arm of the lever andthrough ears M, attached to the cross-beam F. This end of the lever iscurved or bent upwardly at an angle of about forty-five degrees, more orless, and normally resting upon the top of the baling-chamber or a partthereof serves to hold the long arm of the lever normally at an angle ofabout forty-five degrees, more or less, to the horizontal plane of thetop of the baling-chamber and upon depressing the long arm of the leverserves to depress the top of the baling-charnber at the discharge end,and thus contract the discharge end to the extent depending upon themovement of the lever.

The bent end or short arm of the lever may be formed of two metal platesN, bolted to the lever, and in the bifurcationformed by the two platesmay be and preferably is pivoted a roller 0, so that in depressing thelever K there will be a rolling contact between its bent or cam end andthe top of the balingchamber or the part thereof against which the camend or short arm of the lever bears. We prefer to provide a track forthe roller 0 to move over and for that purpose illustrate in thedrawings a metal plate P, secured to the end cross-beam D, which extendsacross the top of the bailing-chamber, said track being preferablyinclined or having its rear end elevated, as illustrated, so as to allowa more extended stroke or movement of the lever K as the roller ascendsthe elevated track in the operation of-depressing the long arm of thelever K. The long arm of the lever K is provided with a weight Q, whichis adjustable thereon, so as to increase or lessen the pressure exertedby the lever, and which in whatever position the Weight may be placedwill antomatically exert a uniform pressure whether the hay is fedlightor heavy and even though there be variations in the condition ofthe material being fed.

It will be observed that under the construction described when the leverK is in its highest position the discharge end of the balingchamber isat its maximum expansion and that when the long arm of the lever isdepressed its cam end or short arm presses down on the top of thebaling-chamber so as to depress the same and contract the discharge endto the extent that the top of the chamber is depressed and that when thedegree of compression desired is obtained the weight on the lever isadjusted accordingly and the pressure thus determined upon is exertedagainst the hay in the baling-chamber, so that a uniform density isgiven to the bale even though there be variations between a heavy and alight feeding of the material and also variations in the condition ofthe material being fed. It will also, be observed that as the long armof the lever is depressed the point of the bearing of its cam end orshort arm against the top of the chamber is brought more nearly underthe pivotal point of the lever to the cross-beam, thereby producing atoggle action whereby a greater leverage is obtained.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4: the lever K is fulcrumed atthe knuckle of its short arm to a link R, which in turn is pivoted tocars S, attached to the cross-beam D, while the end of the short arm ispivotally connected to the cross-beam F by the ears M. WVhen the longarm of the lever H is depressed, the link R is straightened and thefulcrum shifted toward the points of resistance, or, in other words, theshort arm and the link are brought more nearly to a straight line in thedirection of resistance under a toggle action.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the lever K is fulcrumed at its knuckle to cross-beam Dby ears S, and the end of its short bent or curved arm is provided witha roller 0, which bears against a metal plate or track P, in thisinstance secured to the under side of the cross-beam F. When the longarm of the lever K is depressed, the short bent arm of the lever risesand its roller end moves toward the vertical plane of the pivot orfulcrum of the lever, so

that increased leverage is obtained.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the lever K is fulcrumed at its knuckle to thecross-beam D by cars S, and the end of its short bent arm is pivotallyconnected byears M to the crossbeam F. When the long arm of the lever isdepressed, its short arm is raised and the cross-beam F is moved orrocked in the direction of the fulcrum of the lever, thus producing atype of toggle action by which increased leverage is obtained. Thisrocking motion may be provided for in different ways, and as one meanswe have illustrated the bolt J, which connects the lower ends of therods G, as lying in a groove in the under side of a metal block T, thetop surface of which is convex and bears against the under side of thelower cross-beam E, so as to allow the rods and cross-beam F at theirupper ends to have a rocking movement.

Substantially the same principle of action is involved in all the forms,as it will be observed that when the long arm of the lever is depressedthe short bentarm, either at the fulcrum or at the end bearing againstthe crossand thus a greater degree of compression can be obtained withgreater ease than if the construction were otherwise.

The operation of the lever is substantially as follows: The more thedischarge end of the box is contracted the greater the resistanceoffered by the side timbers or sills to contraction, and hence thegreater the power required to contract the end. This increase in poweris given by shifting the fulcrum of the lever or bringing it nearer tothe line of resistance as the lever is depressed. Most of this pressureis required for contracting the discharge end of the box, and the excessof pressure above that so required is exerted upon the hay when beingfed in the chamber. On the other hand, in proportion as the end of thebox is expanded by the pressure of the hay from within to that extent isthe pressure to keep the end of the box at its maximum of contractionlessened, and the difference in pressure is exerted upon the hay, andhence as the chamber is expanded and the pressure of the lever divertedmore from the line of resistance the weight or pressure of the lever isexerted more upon-the hay and less upon the box timbers or sills. Inthis way the lever automatically adjusts itself to the full feeding andthe light feeding of the hay in the chamber with the end in view ofproducing uniform density in the bales.

The contracting attachment is composed of few parts, which are simple intheir construction and arrangement and admit of easy and quickapplication to the ordinary construction of hay-presses already in useand also of the easy1 and quick removal therefrom when desirec.

\Vhile we have illustrated and described with particularity thepreferred details of construetion and preferred form of the severalparts employed, yet it is obvious from the description that changes .canbe made therein and essential features of the invention still beemployed.

Having described our invention and set forth its merits, what we claimis- 1. The combination with the baling-chamber of a press, of a devicefor contracting the discharge end of the chamber, said device comprisinga swinging lever connected with the discharge end of the chamber andadapted to produce increased leverage as the resistance to contractionof the box increases in the depression of the lever, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with the baling-charnber of apress, of a device forcontracting the discharge end of the chamber, said device comprising anautomatically acting lever fulcrumed at one end to the discharge endportion of the baling-chamber to exert a compression action on theeontractible portion of the chamber, and means connected to said'leverbetween its fulcrum and power-applying end to vary the pressure to beexerted by the lever, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the baling-chamber of a press, of a device forcontracting the discharge end of the chamber, said device comprising aswinging bent lever having its short arm connected with the dischargeend portion of the chamber and exerting increased leverage thereon asthe resistance to the contraction of the box increases in the depressionof the lever, and a weight applied to the long arm of the lever,substantially as described.

4. The combination with the baling-chamber of a press, of a device forcontracting the discharge end of the baling-chamber, said devicecomprising a swinging bent lever having its short arm connected with thedischarge end portion of the chamber and arranged to exert increasedleverage as the resistance to contraction of the box increases in thedepression of the lever, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the baling-chamber of a press, of a device forcontracting the discharge end of the chamber, said device comprising across-beam connected with a part of the baling-chamber and supportedabove the top of the chamber, an automatically-acting bent lever havingits short arm interposed between said cross-beam and the top of thechamber and arranged to exert an upward pressure against said cross-beamand a downward pressure against the top of the chamber beneath said beamto press apart said crossbeam and top of the chamber, and whereby thefulcrum of the lever is brought nearer to the line of resistance as thelever is depressed, and a weight adjustable on said lever, substantiallyas described.

6. The combination with the baling-charnber of a press, of a device forcontracting the discharge end of the baling-chamber, said devicecomprising a cross-beam connected with a part of the baling-chamber, aswinging lever pivotally connected with said beam and having a partthereof arranged to bear on a part of the contractible top portion ofthe baling-chamber, and an inclined track at the top of thebaling-chamber for a part of the swinging lever to bear against,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS EUGENE SIKES. SIMEON R. SIKES. Witnesses:

JOHN RAwLINs, OLIN PHARR.

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